Gene Mutations

Survival and progression-free survival were better with nivolumab alone or with ipilimumab vs ipilimumab alone for stage III or IV melanoma with known BRAFV600 mutation, according to results of this randomized study.

Researchers conducted a review of more than 400 patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer to determine if high Oncotype DX RS is associated with a greater likelihood the cancer is hereditary.

A combination treatment of mitogen-activated protein kinase MEK inhibitor and chemotherapy did not improve progression-free survival in patients with advanced lung cancer caused by a KRAS gene mutation.

Variants of the MC1R gene, associated with red hair, pale skin, and freckles, increases the number of genetic mutations related to skin cancer and the level of other gene mutations, further increasing the risk for skin cancer.

Genetic mutations affecting the immune system were identified in patients who develop more than one CRC tumor at the same time, and understanding how these cancers develop could improve therapy targeting.

The drug denosumab, which blocks a bone gene, may also prevent breast cancer caused by a BRCA1 mutation. This already approved drug could be available quickly, and would be the first drug for breast cancer prevention.

The longest overall survival follow-up among randomized phase 3 trials evaluating BRAF and MEK inhibitors in patients with BRAF-mutant metastatic melanoma to date has shown the best 3-year outcome with dabrafenib plus trametinib to be in patients with normal LDH and fewer than 3 disease sites, according to a presentation at the ASCO 2016 Annual Meeting.

Binimetinib may represent a new effective therapy for patients with NRAS-mutant melanoma, both before and after immunotherapy. That is the conclusion of the phase 3 NEMO study, results of which were presented at the ASCO 2016 Annual Meeting.

ESR1 mutations detected in plasma circulating tumor DNA were identified in a high percentage of patients with hormone receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer, confirming an important role in endocrine resistance, according to an analysis of data from the phase 3 PALOMA-3 reported at the 2016 ASCO Annual Meeting.

Among 1915 patients with ovarian cancer, almost 1 in 5 had inherited mutations in genes associated with risk of ovarian cancer. Furthermore, a total of 11 genes are now suspected of causing hereditary ovarian cancer.

Two distinct causes of HER2 activation in lung cancer were demonstrated in a recent study. These findings imply that HER2-positive lung cancer may need different targeted therapies to combat these related but possibly distinct diseases.

The evolution of drug resistance in a patient with lung cancer was demonstrated in a recent case. In the case, molecular analysis of a metastatic lesion revealed resistance to a third targeted therapy; however, the new mutation restored tumor response to the first targeted therapy used.

Comprehensive genomic screening may be warranted for all pediatric patients with cancer, not just those with a family history of cancer, according to results of a detailed analysis of germline mutations in cancer predisposition genes.

Most patients with NSCLC that has metastasized to the brain have a dire prognosis. However, researchers have identified a subset of those patients who have a rare genetic mutation and are living significantly longer than patients without the mutation.